


Rock Bottom(ing)

by AgentStannerShipper



Series: Rock Hard and Cummintonite [3]
Category: Kingsman (Movies), RocknRolla (2008)
Genre: Blow Jobs, Double Penetration, Getting Together, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY, M/M, Size Kink, Teasing, a little bit were getting there, like practically none but they talk about it a lot, references to not so great stuff in archys past but nothing explicit yet, switch!archy, theres plot now how did that happen, very very very light bdsm elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-06 22:49:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14657844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentStannerShipper/pseuds/AgentStannerShipper
Summary: Archy, Harry, and Merlin finally decide to do this properly. Also, it's Harry's birthday.





	Rock Bottom(ing)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm...really not a fan of this one. It fought me tooth and nail to get done, and I'm still not happy with the end result. But hopefully you all like it better than I do. I promise the title just refers to Harry, and not some sad, angsty shit about to go down. No sad, angsty shit is about to go down...yet.
> 
> Let me know if I forgot to tag anything important.

Merlin is a practical man, and he likes things a particular way. He knows this about himself, and he equally knows that there are some things that are beyond his control.

It’s part of why his and Harry’s relationship works the way it does. For all that Harry teases Merlin about being a control freak, he understands that Merlin works in a job where there are too many variables to prepare for everything and there are so many things beyond his control that it frays at his nerves. Merlin _needs_ to be in complete control sometimes, just as he knows Harry needs to let go of his control sometimes, to drop the buttoned-up, posh secret agent act for awhile and turn himself over to Merlin. It works both in the field and out, although in different ways.

They’ve never really defined their relationship as being one of BDSM. For one thing, sadism and masochism are rarely ever on the menu for either of them. For another, they keep strict domination to the bedroom only. Power dynamics at work are difficult enough without throwing this aspect of their relationship into the mix. But while they may not label their relationship as such, Merlin knows enough to know it’s not strictly conventional either, in a lot of ways.

Archy, of course, is one of those ways.

Archy is a temptation Merlin hadn’t been expecting. He’s attractive, objectively (and Merlin doesn’t like to consider it as anything other than ‘objective’ because to do so would feel a bit too close to narcissism), and more than that he gets on well with the both of them. The control he has over Harry – and the caring with which he exercises it – pairs remarkably well with his willingness to submit to Merlin’s instructions, if not yet to his care.

Merlin rubs his lips, thinking of the scorching kiss from last time, and smiles. He’ll readily admit that, despite what he said initially about not wanting to be overly involved with someone who looks so much like him, he likes Archy a great deal, and one facet of that is in fact that Merlin is very interested in expanding the way he and Harry have sex with Archy. It’s not just that, of course, but Merlin can’t help but think how nice it would be if, instead of watching, he could put his hands on Archy and coax him onto his knees. Archy responded so well the few times Merlin touched him. He can’t help but want more.

“What are you grinning about over there?” Harry asks. He uncrosses and re-crosses his legs, idly turning a page of his book, as if he isn’t actually watching the footy match Merlin has playing in the background.

“I was thinking about the other night,” Merlin tells him.

Harry doesn’t need to be told which one. He knows, and he smiles too. “Well, I can’t blame you for reminiscing. I keep having to drink my Scotch neat. I so much as look at an ice cube and my cock starts to get ideas.”

Merlin laughs. Harry is exaggerating, but not by much.

“We should talk to him,” he says softly.

Harry cocks his head and frowns. “What do you mean?”

“He said that’s what he wanted,” Merlin says. “For us to talk about…whatever this is.”

Harry sets down his book. “What do you want this to be?”

Merlin shrugs, not because he doesn’t know the answer but because he doesn’t want to be the first one to say it aloud. “You started this with him,” he says instead. “It’s really your call.”

“Bullshit. In case you haven’t noticed, darling, we’re not in bed right now, and there’s a considerable difference between me deciding how I want to be fucked and how I want our relationship, something that affects both of us directly, to go.”

Merlin gives him a look, and Harry softens. “I like him,” he says. “Maybe…well, I don’t want to say I love him. We’ve known him a little over a month, barely spoken in that time, and most of what we’ve done with him is directly related to sex. But I like him, and I think he’s the sort of man I could very easily grow to love, given a little time.”

“That’s what I thought,” Merlin says.

“If you’re not alright with that, you know you only have to say the word,” Harry tells him. “I wouldn’t be upset.”

“I’m alright with it,” Merlin says. He stretches, rubbing his face briefly with his hand, and then shakes his head. “Christ, I’m _really_ alright with that.”

“Really?”

“I like him too, Harry. I thought I made that fairly obvious.”

Harry shrugs. “Just because you liked having sex with him and being around him doesn’t mean you inherently are interested in falling in love with him.”

“Yes, well, in this case it’s all of the above.”

“So what are we going to do?”

Merlin licks his lips to wet them, because his mouth feels very dry. “I think that we should contact Archy and tell him we want to have that talk he mentioned. Not in public. Here, maybe, or at his place. Or, I don’t know, somewhere neutral might be better. But we sit down with him, and we tell him…” He shakes his head again. For once, words aren’t coming to him.

“We tell him we want him to be our third?” Harry, who developed a knack for knowing what Merlin is thinking sometime around year ten, finishes for him. “Tell him we’re interested in pursuing a relationship, turning this into a proper triad rather than just having sex with him?”

“That,” Merlin agrees.

“Should we text him, do you think?”

“A phone call would probably be better,” Merlin says. “But not tonight. I’m exhausted.” He stands, going for the remote to turn off the telly.

Harry lunges for it before Merlin can reach it. “I’ll stay up a while longer,” he says casually, like he hasn’t just dived for their coffee table. “Might as well leave it on.”

Merlin smirks; Harry’s continued denial that’s he’s not interested in the sport – _at all_ , he insists – grows flimsier by the year. At this rate, Merlin might just get him to admit he likes football before they both turn eighty.

He gives Harry a peck on the lips. “Goodnight, love.”

“Goodnight, darling. I’ll be up in a little while.” He probably is, but Merlin is asleep well before that happens, passing out the moment his head hits the pillow.

In the morning, they call Archy, but it rings through to voicemail.

“Archy, it’s Merlin.” Harry hovers over his shoulder, listening as Merlin tries to figure out the best message to leave. “Harry and I were just calling to let you know we wanted to talk.”

“Oh, don’t say that,” Harry objects. “He’ll think it’s something dreadful.”

Merlin rolls his eyes and doesn’t respond to Harry. “You said you wanted to have a conversation about what sort of relationship this is, and you wanted to have it soon. Well, Harry and I are ready when you are. Call us back so we can set something up.” He hangs up.

Harry looks appalled. “That’s it? No closing greeting?”

“What did you want me to say?” Merlin asks. “’Thank you for your time’? Or how about ‘Love you’? I’m sure that would have gone over great.”

Harry gives him a look. “You could have at least said goodbye.”

“If you wanted to be picky about etiquette rules, you should have made the call,” Merlin tells him. “Now come on. We’re going to be late for work, and one of us still has a reputation for punctuality.”

Harry doesn’t have a mission today, just paperwork, but Merlin does: Eggsy is currently in Vienna sorting out a mess involving the discontented ex-girlfriend of a mob boss they dealt with last year and a shipment full of weapons that, while not being completely world-ending, still have the potential to do a lot more damage than the average gun. Merlin really, _really_ wishes arms dealers would stop getting creative. It makes his job a lot harder.

“You’re seeing that guy, right? Archy?” Eggsy asks at one point, and even though Merlin hadn’t told him – and doesn’t think Harry did either – he’s not surprised Eggsy knows. A chat between Eggsy and Archy is a very logical reason for Dean to currently be in the hospital, and Merlin knows Eggsy has seen them together in public at least the once. The lad hadn’t been subtle that day in the bar, at least not to someone with Merlin’s training.

“Not that it’s any of your business,” Merlin tells him, “but yes. Harry and I are still seeing him.”

“You know I know him, right? I mean, not well, but…”

“Aye, I know.” When Merlin was going over their files on Archy, there was too much overlap with Eggsy’s past to think they’d never met.

“You know if he hurts either of you, I’m gonna kick his arse, right?”

Merlin chuckles. “I’m sure you will, lad. Right after Harry and I do first.”

Olivia clears her throat, somewhere over his shoulder, and Merlin smiles because he hadn’t noticed her come in. She’s clearly been stealth-training with someone (his money is on Roxy). Loud enough that Eggsy can hear it too, she says, “Pretty sure I get to go before you, Eggsy. Just saying.”

“Alright,” Eggsy allows. “Merlin and Harry first, then you, then _I_ get to kick his arse.”

“As lovely as it is to have you defending my honour,” Merlin says, “if you could return to the task at hand?”

“Sure thing, guv,” Eggsy says. “You’re thinking capture, right?”

“Aye. No need for unnecessary bloodshed here. She’s distraught, and as far as we’re aware she’s not overly dangerous. We just need to get her to calm down. She’s clever, could be an asset. Primary goal is containment, but if you don’t see a way out and the threat is too great, you do have permission to take her out.”

“Roger that,” Eggsy says. On the monitor, Merlin sees him reset his watch to stun.

Merlin mutes the coms and turns to his pseudo-daughter. “Are you okay with me and Harry seeing Archy?” He’d only mentioned it to her once before, in passing, and she hasn’t said anything about it.

Olivia smiles. “You know I don’t really have a say over your love life, right?” she teases. But Merlin can tell she’s pleased he asked. “I’m okay with it. From what I’ve seen, he seems like a pretty okay guy. Even with the murdering and stuff. And it’s not like he’s breaking you two up. I’d hate to see my parents get divorced.”

He bites back a comment about her cheek and smirks instead. “Don’t worry, princess, Mommy and Daddy still love each other.” They’re not her parents, not really, but he can’t help feeling like her father in some ways. After all, she was young when she joined, and just a little bit lost, not unlike he was in his day. He likes to think that he helped her to find her way.

She laughs at his joke. “I actually stopped by to ask you about Tristan’s upcoming mission,” she says. “There’s been a bit of a snag with the costuming department. I was hoping you had a moment to sort it out? I’d do it myself, but I’m due to start monitoring Percival’s in…” she checks her watch, “about twenty-two minutes, and it always takes me about an hour to get anything across to them.”

Merlin understands. Their costuming department – which is more connected to the tailor part of their cover than most departments for obvious reasons – can be a bit tricky to work with at the best of times. He glances towards the screens. “I have to deal with Eggsy’s mission for another few hours. Why don’t you send Jeanette down to do it? I don’t think she’s busy.”

Olivia nods. “Alright.” She pauses before she leaves, turning back to him when she’s in the doorway. “You’re being careful with him, right?”

“With Eggsy?”

“With Archy,” she says. For all the teasing earlier, she looks concerned. “You and Harry…you have a type. Him especially. I just don’t want to see you hurt.”

Merlin understands what she’s referring to. They both – but Harry especially – like dangerous men. Inviting one into their bed is a risk, but inviting one into their lives has the potential to be catastrophic.

“We trust him. But we’ll be careful.”

“Good,” she says, and disappears into the hall.

Merlin turns his phone off during work hours because anyone who could possibly need to contact him urgently knows to do so through the glasses (the exception being, of course, the hospital, but he has flags in the system that work far more effectively than a phone call).

It means that when he gets out of work – pushing nine at night because his job does not have normal hours – he has one voicemail from Archy. He debates waiting for Harry to listen to it, but curiosity gets the better of him. He climbs into the backseat of a Kingsman cab and directs the driver home, then presses the phone to his ear.

“Looks like we keep missing each other,” Archy says. “Sorry I didn’t pick up, I was at a…business meeting. Sort of. Anyway, talking. Talking is good. Call me…back, I guess.” He chuckles. “Hopefully I’ll pick up. Anytime after eight should be good, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Talk to you later.”

Harry is on the sofa when Merlin gets home, glasses on his nose, scanning over some documents for his next mission. He looks up when Merlin walks in, a smile blooming on his face. “You’re home early,” he says. “I thought Eggsy’s mission was going to run for another few hours.”

“Your boy continues to impress. He finished it up a bit quicker than expected,” Merlin tells him. “They’re on the jet back now, and I’ve got one of the junior handlers monitoring, just in case.” He sits down next to Harry, giving him a kiss hello. “We got a call back from Archy.”

“Oh? What did he say?”

“Missed him again, so he left a voicemail. Mostly he just asked us to call him back sometime tonight. He said anytime after eight would work so I was thinking we could do that now? Unless you wanted to listen to the message first.”

Harry shakes his head. “I don’t need to hear it. Let’s just call him back.”

This time, when they dial, it picks up after two rings. “Hello?”

“It’s us,” Merlin says. He clarifies, “Merlin and Harry. You’re on speakerphone.”

“Well hello, boys.” Merlin can hear the grin in Archy’s voice. “Sorry about earlier.”

“No need,” Harry says. “We all lead busy lives.”

“But you’ve got me now. I’m assuming this isn’t really a conversation we want to have over the phone?”

“It really isn’t,” Merlin agrees. “We were thinking one of our places, although if you’d rather meet somewhere more neutral, we could work something out. A hotel or the like.”

“Well, it depends,” Archy says, and there’s caution in his voice beneath the playfulness. “If you’re planning on dumping me outright-“

“We aren’t,” Harry interrupts him. “Planning to, I mean. It’s a question of defining the relationship, not ending it.” He pauses, and when he looks towards Merlin there’s worry in his eyes. “Unless that was what you wanted?” He’s speaking into the phone but he’s looking at Merlin, who puts an arm around his shoulders comfortingly.

“Christ, no,” Archy responds immediately. “No, definitely not looking to end it. We’ve been to your place twice now. Why don’t I return the favour, have you over to mine? We can have dinner, talk about things. Maybe have you stay over, if things go well. How does that sound?”

“It sounds perfect,” Harry says.

Merlin adds, “When were you thinking?”

“Does Thursday night work for you? I keep odd hours, so I’ll have Friday off, barring complications, but not the weekend, and if it gets late...”

Merlin mentally flicks through his calendar. “Thursday works for me,” he says. “Harry?”

“Myself as well,” Harry says. “Although Friday night I’m busy, so if we end up staying over I’ll have to leave sometime in the afternoon.”

“That’s fine. I’ll text you the address. We’ll talk Thursday?”

“See you then,” Merlin says.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

He hangs up, and Harry huffs. “Honestly. No one has any phone etiquette anymore.”

Merlin rolls his eyes and turns on the television.

***

Archy’s flat is bigger than Merlin expected. He knew Archy’s job paid well – there’s money to be made in shady deals, after all – but Archy also seemed the type to live a little more simply. But even from the outside, his flat is far from Spartan.

Harry whistles, impressed.

The front door opens before either of them can knock, and Archy is revealed. He’s not dressed up like they’re used to; instead he’s wearing a soft jumper with a sharp V-neck that exposes the t-shirt beneath. He grins at them as they walk up the steps to meet him. “Glad you could make it.” He gestures inside, and Merlin steps over the threshold, not oblivious to the kiss of greeting Harry gives Archy behind him.

Archy’s flat looks slightly less posh inside than out, but not by much. There’s artwork on the walls – some of it very rare originals, if Merlin has half an eye for that sort of thing – and several bookcases full of heavy texts that probably don’t ever get removed from their shelves, save for a spot of dusting. But there are also knickknacks about, the sort of thing that lends hominess to an otherwise sterile atmosphere, strange little bobble-head dog statuettes and the like (the sort of thing Harry loves to collect, ironically) settled in amongst the rest. There are no family photos that Merlin can see, or really any photos at all.

“Through here,” Archy tells them, leading the way down the hall and through another doorway. It opens up into a sitting room, one that looks an awful lot like the one Merlin’s aunt used to keep, right down to the hideously patterned pink wallpaper, large and squishy armchairs, and the surplus of plants dripping over the sides of their pots. Harry settles into one of the armchairs without any fuss, looking around in mild interest, but Merlin stays standing, lingering over Harry’s shoulder as he takes in the room.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Archy asks. “Tea? Water?”

“Tea would be lovely, thank you,” Harry says, smiling brightly.

Archy looks towards Merlin, who gives a brief nod. “Well then,” Archy says, taking a step towards the door, “I’ll go put the kettle on. Be right back.”

Merlin looks down at Harry, who reads his expression correctly and makes himself comfortable, busying himself with poking at the nearest plant while Merlin follows Archy back down the hallway and around another twist that leads into the kitchen.

He’s not sure Archy notices at first, because the other man doesn’t so much as turn around to look, humming under his breath as he sets about filling the kettle and turning on the stove.

The kitchen, Merlin notes, looks more or less the same as his and Harry’s, if a bit older. The wallpaper is peeling slightly in the corners and there’s a distinctly used look about the room that their kitchen does not have – not surprising, given their infrequent use of it.

“You think I’m gonna poison the tea or something?” Archy asks casually after a moment. He doesn’t so much as glance over his shoulder at Merlin.

“No,” Merlin tells him honestly.

“You here to give me another one of those ‘you hurt my husband I bury your body’ speeches?”

Merlin shakes his head, even though Archy can’t see it. “You have a nice home.”

Archy turns, leaning against the counter. “Yeah?”

“Not what I was expecting.”

“What were you expecting?”

Merlin glances around the room, and then looks at Archy again. “I don’t know,” he says honestly. “I couldn’t decide if you’d be the type to have a one-bedroom flat with nearly nothing in it, or some sort of lavish estate like Harry’s parents own. Instead you’ve got this. A bit more upscale than most folks can afford, but nothing overly fancy.”

“Bit like you and Harry,” Archy comments. That slow smile plays over the edges of his lips, spreading across them like ink bleeding across a page. “You thought that, because I’m some sort of gangster, I’d either live like I didn’t have a home, just a temporary residence, or with enough of that posh shit that it’d look like I was compensating for something.”

Merlin shrugs. Archy’s grin widens. He pushes himself off the counter and takes a step into Merlin’s space. “Well,” he murmurs, low and rumbling, “we both know I’m not compensating for anything. As for the other bit-“

He stops, because Merlin kisses him. It’s a dirty trick, and one he does not normally abide by, but it isn’t like they’re fighting, like he’s trying to distract Archy from anything. Rather, Merlin’s the one being driven to distraction, and Archy’s lips were right there, too tempting to resist.

The kiss is soft and short and when Merlin pulls away Archy swipes his tongue over his lips, as if trying to see if the taste of Merlin had lingered there. “Well hello to you too,” he says softly. Behind them, the kettle starts to whistle loudly.

Merlin takes a step back. “Harry will be wondering where we got off too.”

Archy’s smile is softer, less predatory, and he nods. “Let me finish up here, and I’ll be right in.”

Merlin nods, and leaves Archy too it. Harry is, predictably, exactly where Merlin left him. He hasn’t even bothered to leave his chair to explore the room, and he glances up towards Merlin when he enters and takes a seat next to him. Archy follows a tick later and sets three mugs on the coffee table, along with little dishes of milk and sugar. Harry takes one of the mugs and sets about fixing it the way he likes. Merlin takes another and leaves it the way it is. Archy does the same, settling in the chair across from them.

“Down to business?” he asks. “Or are we going to go on with a bit of pleasantries first?”

“Business, I should think,” Harry says. “No need to leave everyone in suspense.” He sounds calm, but Merlin can hear the undertone of worry in Harry’s voice.

Archy nods. “Alright then.” He takes a sip of tea and then sets the mug back on the table, crossing his arms as he leans back in his chair. The posture might look outwardly like he’s closing himself off, but Merlin recognizes guarded when he sees it, and he knows Archy is as worried as Harry. He resists the urge to roll his eyes.

“Shall we, then?” he asks.

Another nod, this time from Harry as well as Archy. When no one speaks, Merlin sighs and addresses Archy, “So far, our relationship has been purely sex, mostly between you and Harry. I take it that’s not the way you want to keep it.”

Archy shakes his head. “I don’t want to just be someone you call because Harry is horny and you think it’d be hotter for him to have sex with me rather than do the work yourself,” he says. “That’s not what I want.”

“What do you want?” Merlin asks. Sometimes he wishes that bloody Englishmen weren’t so repressed. Getting them to talk about this sort of stuff can be like pulling teeth. It took years for Harry to be open with him about his emotions, and he still clams up in company most of the time. Not to say that Scots on the whole have a better reputation, but Merlin personally prefers to be honest about how he’s feeling.

For a moment, it looks like Archy might snap something witty at him, but then he melts in on himself. “A relationship. I want a proper relationship, with both of you. Just both of you, not…I know you have the permission thing where you can sleep with other people, but I wouldn’t want that. I’d want it to be us three, to be exclusive, and properly romantic, you know? Dating. I know…I know that isn’t your thing, and I’d understand if you didn’t feel the same way, but if I can’t have that I don’t think I can keep doing this. I’m sorry.”

Merlin looks towards Harry, who appears a bit dumbstruck by the admission. Merlin assumes it’s for the same reason he’s feeling similarly. “What do you mean, you know that isn’t our thing?” he asks slowly. Archy looks at him, frowning, and Merlin continues, “I thought we made it clear that we’re both polyamorous.”

Archy blinks. “Well, yeah. I kind of just said that. But it’s a bit different to have sex with other people than it is to date them, innit?”

Merlin exchanges another look with Harry, understanding passing between them. There’s a tiny quirk of Harry’s lips that Merlin interprets as relief before Harry sets down his mug and says, “Yes, they are different things. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t interested in both.” He hesitates, “Do you know how long it’s been since Merlin and I have shared a partner?”

Archy shakes his head and studies the table.

“A very long time. Over ten years. Even longer since that person lasted longer than a night.” Harry waits patiently until Archy looks up at him, and then he smiles. “You aren’t just a passing flight of fancy. You are something incredibly rare and beautiful, and I’m not inclined to let you go anytime soon.”

When Archy’s eyes flick towards Merlin, like he needs further confirmation, Merlin nods. “We don’t play with anyone, you understand? Not like that. Casual bedpartners don’t get to tie Harry up. They don’t get to tease him the way you did, not in a way that requires safewords. We wouldn’t have allowed you to do that, to be part of it, unless we were serious about our intent towards you. And I do mean closing the relationship, just the three of us serious.” They don’t take on more people when they share a third for longer than a night. Not because of any rule they have, but because that always just feels right to them.

“Really?” It’s interesting to see the break in Archy’s confidence, the hesitation, the uncertainty and surprise. Archy is a man with a mask made of stone and witty one-liners. It’s satisfying to see it crack.

“Really,” Merlin says. Harry nods in agreement. “We both like you a great deal. There’s a lot we don’t know about each other-“

“Thought you had a file on me,” Archy mumbles, but Merlin can tell he’s teasing, and he can hear an undercurrent of tension in his tone, so he lets the interruption go.

“We don’t know a lot about each other,” he says again, “but I speak for Harry and myself when I say we would like to. And not just because Harry considers you attractive.”

Archy grins playfully, even if there’s something like anxiety in his eyes. “So you’re saying you don’t find me attractive?”

Merlin allows himself a smirk. “Jury’s still out.”

Harry rolls his eyes, and Merlin nudges him with a pointed look.

“So what now?” Archy asks after a moment. “I mean…”

“I don’t know,” Harry admits. He retrieves his tea again and looks towards Merlin. “We haven’t exactly dated in quite a while. I’m not even sure the appropriate way to go about it.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Merlin says, because of course he has to be the one to do everything, “but I believe dating usually involves spending time with the person you’re interested in, getting to know them, going places with them…”

“Not getting laid until the third date,” Archy adds, grinning.

Harry snorts into his tea. “Yes, well, I think we can agree that that’s not happening.”

“I dunno.” Archy looks thoughtful, and Merlin tilts his head, listening. “Could be good for us. Show we’re serious about treating this like a proper relationship. Not necessarily the three-date rule, but just…holding off on it for a while.”

Merlin and Harry exchange glances. Harry looks a tiny bit horrified at the prospect, and Merlin sharpens his expression until Harry subtly relents. “I can’t say I’m overly fond of the idea,” Harry sighs. “But if that’s what you’d like, I could be amenable.”

“I’m not saying you and Merlin have to stop having sex,” Archy says. “You live together, you’ve been together, what, thirty years? I’m not gonna tell you you can’t. Just not the three of us. Just for a while.”

Harry looks much more pleased at that prospect, and Merlin internally rolls his eyes. He swears Harry’s sex drive never left his twenties. “I think we can agree to that,” Merlin says.

“Good.” Archy nods. “Now, I think I promised you dinner?”

“You did,” Harry agrees. “And I hope, for all our sakes, that you’re either a better cook than Merlin, or at least as good at dialling for takeaway.”

“Actually, I was going to ask if you wanted to go out. There’s this little place a couple streets over, tiny hole-in-the-wall Thai place. I’ve known the owners since I was a kid, and the food is amazing.”

“Thai sounds perfect,” Merlin says. And if it’s one of the places that keeps pictures of their regulars on the wall, even better. He wants to see if the resemblance is more uncanny now or in their teen years.

He doesn’t end up getting a photo of young Archy – or anything about his childhood at all – but he does get a story about Archy babysitting Johnny as a kid that ends with the punchline, “And let me tell you, nothing shuts up a room full of lowlifes quicker than one of the boss’s top men walking in with half his face covered in Sharpie tattoos clearly drawn by a child.”

Harry almost chokes laughing, and Merlin launches into a similar story about Harry when Roxy was four, although his ends with a hospital trip because apparently four-year-olds think shoving a tube of child lipstick halfway into someone’s ear is an appropriate way to say she doesn’t want to wear it.

And if Harry keeps squirming in his seat while Merlin tells it, he’s more than willing to pretend it’s because Harry is embarrassed by the story and not because the table is very small and Archy has a hand on Harry’s thigh while he sucks and licks at his spoon, grinning and focusing on Merlin the entire time he does it.

Merlin’s own trousers are a little tight, but it’s worth it to watch Harry struggle to keep himself in check.

They drop Archy off at his flat after, Harry narrowing his eyes unhappily at both of them when Archy gives him a peck on the cheek rather than on the lips and then snogs Merlin properly. Merlin laughs as he pulls away, shoving Archy gently towards his door. Archy throws them a wink and disappears inside, and Merlin wraps his arm around Harry’s shoulder, flagging down a cab to take them home. Harry fidgets the entire ride back, and all but runs for the door the moment the car pulls to a stop.

“Easy there, tiger,” Merlin says as he follows, amused at Harry’s obvious frustration.

Harry snarls and rounds on him, tearing at Merlin’s belt, pushing him up against the wall with a force Merlin isn’t used to Harry exerting in bed. Not that he’s complaining. Harry makes a vicious noise low in his throat, accompanied by a soft sound of pleasure from Merlin as Harry gets his hand inside Merlin’s pants, fingers wrapping tightly around his cock and stroking to get him hard.

“He’s got you rather wound up, hasn’t he?” Merlin comments, aware his voice is more breathless than usual but still in control in spite of Harry’s efforts.

“Stupid fucking no sex rule,” Harry growls in frustration. “He’s doing it on purpose.”

“Do-oing what, love?” Merlin’s breath hitches as Harry yanks him away from the wall, letting go of his cock long enough to shove Merlin towards the living room and down onto the sofa. He doesn’t climb immediately into Merlin’s lap, though, instead digging through the cushions for the bottle of lube that Merlin knows is actually in the side table drawer.

“Teasing me,” Harry grouses. “You saw him at dinner. He’s a fucking tease.” He thumps his hands on the sofa cushions in frustration.

“Side table, love.”

Harry makes a sound of appreciation and returns with the lube, shucking off his trousers and pants and not bothering with his shirt before straddling Merlin’s thighs. Merlin takes the lube and Harry plants one hand on the backrest and holds the other one out demandingly. Merlin tips a generous amount over Harry’s fingers, and they disappear behind him as Harry hisses, “I wanted to crawl under the table and suck his fucking cock.”

“I know,” Merlin says. He relishes the way Harry’s eyes flutter half-shut when his fingers rub up against his prostate. He doesn’t need to have a hand back there to know what Harry’s doing; thirty years of sex and it’s written clearly across Harry’s face. Since Merlin’s own hands aren’t occupied, he cradles Harry’s cheek and draws him in for a brief kiss. “I saw the way you were looking at him,” Merlin murmurs. “But I’m here. I’ll take care of you. No more teasing.” Harry lets out a little moan that’s only half from the fingers up his arse, and Merlin grins. “You ready for me, love? You’ve been waiting so…well, maybe not patiently, but-“

“Just get your cock in me,” Harry snaps, withdrawing his fingers and fumbling with Merlin’s trousers. The lube on his hand makes a bit of a mess on the front but Merlin can’t be arsed to care about it when Harry frees his trapped cock and sinks down onto it in one fluid stroke.

Merlin bites back a groan at the feeling and manages to tease, “Is this what thirty years of marriage does? What happened to the romance?”

“You can have romance when you’re done fucking me,” Harry shoots back.

Merlin laughs and gets ahold of Harry’s hips, helping him set a steady rhythm that’s more long, grinding thrusts than sharp bounces. Neither of them is especially young anymore, even if they are in good shape for their ages. That’s not to say they can’t have rough sex when they want it, only that it’s not an everyday occurrence and very rarely on the sofa.

Harry moans throatily every time Merlin’s cock slides against his prostate, and he writhes eagerly in Merlin’s lap, nuzzling into his neck and nipping at the skin. For all his desperation a moment ago, he’s pliant now, making a noise that’s almost a coo when Merlin grasps his cock and starts to stroke in counterpoint with his thrusts.

“That’s it, love,” Merlin whispers. “There we go. Got a cock stuffed up your greedy hole, just like you wanted. Is that enough? Are you going to come for me, Harry?”

Harry moans into Merlin’s neck and Merlin tightens his grip, twisting his wrist at the end of each stroke so he can catch the more sensitive underside of the head. “I know you hate waiting,” Merlin soothes, “but think about how good it will be when you finally get to have him again. How desperate he’ll be to have another taste of your tight little arse.” He groans, feeling himself getting close as Harry clenches down around him. “Maybe after he has you, I’ll take you. Would you like that? Him stretching you wide and then me stretching you wider, knowing you can take me because you’re slick with his come? Being used like a filthy slut, just a hole for us to fuck, a toy to use for our pleasure.”

Harry sobs and quietly spills over Merlin’s fist, hips jerking slightly. Merlin stokes him gently through it, murmuring praise into his ear, “That’s it, love, you’re so good for me, so good.”

It takes a few moments for Harry to come down from his orgasm, but when he does, he squirms slightly and winces. Merlin helps him off his cock. He’s still hard, but Harry’s too sensitive right now, too wound up tonight.

Instead, Harry gets on his knees and swallows Merlin’s cock, and Merlin let him, carding his fingers through his hair and sighing in pleasure as Harry pulls all the tricks he knows Merlin likes, curling his tongue around the head and using the lightest scrape of his teeth. It only takes another minute for Merlin to come, and then he pulls Harry back up onto the sofa for a bit of a cuddle. His trousers are probably fucked from the lube and Harry’s come, but he can’t bring himself to care when Harry tucks his cheek against Merlin’s chest. Merlin loves him like this, soft and sweet, and he presses kisses along Harry’s hairline. “Feeling better?” he asks.

Harry makes a sort of affirmative humming sound. “What’s happening to me?” he asks quietly. “I haven’t felt like this in years.”

“Felt like what?” Harry can’t mean horny. He’s perpetually insatiable, a fact Merlin very much enjoys teasing him about.

“Like I did when we first met. I think about him all the time, wondering if he’s thinking about me. When we’re around him it feels like my breath is caught in my chest and I get lightheaded and dizzy. I feel… _warm_. Like he’s warming me from the inside out with his smile.”

“And then making you hotter with his cock,” Merlin jokes.

Harry gives Merlin a look that sobers him. “I’m serious. Ian, I’m _scared_.”

Merlin knows he’s serious. Harry never uses his real name, not unless he really means something. “Why are you scared, love?”

“I think I’m falling in love with him.”

Merlin laughs. “I thought that was the point?”

Harry shakes his head. “It’s too fast, too soon. I knew I liked him, but this…”

“You always fall hard and fast,” Merlin points out. “You told me you tried to marry Mark just a few months after meeting him. You’d hardly known me a week before you started professing your love.” Harry flushes, and Merlin smiles. “You have a pattern, love. You know what you want, and once you know it you never see fit to faff about with maybes. You’re an impatient man, Harry, and that applies to love as much as anything else.”

“So you don’t think I have anything to worry about?”

Merlin considers that. “I think you need to be careful how you address it with Archy. I don’t know how he’ll take it, if he’ll think you’re moving too fast. But I don’t see anything wrong with it. Besides, I’m not too far behind myself.”

“You love him?”

“I’m getting there,” Merlin says. “Not like you, but I do care for him a great deal. More than I expected, considering we haven’t known him very long.”

“Well, you’re pragmatic,” Harry says. “You don’t waste much time with maybes either. At least, not outside the lab.”

That’s true. The kind of life they lead is short. Merlin doesn’t like to waste time on uncertainties; he either turns them into certainties or he discards them. There’s not much use in dwelling.

“He’s something special,” is what he says. “Something different.”

“Agreed,” Harry says. He snuggles closer, fingers idly tracing patterns against Merlin’s stomach. His voice turns playful again. “He’s big. Not as big as you, but still.”

Merlin snorts. “Alright, size queen.”

“I am not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Alright, maybe I am,” Harry says, “but I was thinking…” He bites his lip and tucks his face where Merlin can’t see it. “You were talking about next time, about him taking me and then you? What if maybe I don’t want that?”

“You don’t?”

“I mean, I do. But…well, maybe not right away, but hopefully soon…you know that thing we do…”

“Harry,” Merlin says, a bit exasperated. “We do many, many things. Just spit it out.”

“Do you think he’d be interested in both of you fucking me at the same time?”

Merlin blinks. They’ve done it before, once or twice with a third partner – a very long time ago – but more recently they’ve done it with toys, and Harry absolutely adores it. Merlin’s cock stirs very briefly at the thought, but he’s too tired to get it up again tonight. Instead, he murmurs, “He’d be an idiot not to be interested. When sex is on the table again, we’ll talk to him about it, alright?”

Harry hums in agreement. “Are we inviting him over for my birthday?”

“Would you like to?”

“It seems appropriate. We’re dating him now and it’s a special occasion we can share. I know it’s still a few weeks away, but…”

It’s actually a bit longer than that. Merlin considers it. “He might be interested,” is all he says.

“I hope so.” Harry murmurs. His voice is going sleepy, and Merlin sighs and nudges him.

“Up you get.” When Harry makes a sound of protest, Merlin adds, “I don’t want to hear you complaining about your back when you wake up.”

“I’ll have you know I’m a highly trained special agent,” Harry mutters, but it’s clear sleep is starting to get the better of him. “I can sleep on the cold, hard ground and wake up feeling refreshed.”

“You don’t even wake up feeling refreshed when you’ve been shagged to sleep on a soft mattress.” Harry is an absolute terror in the morning and they both know it, which is probably part of the reason Harry drags himself up off the sofa and staggers towards the stairs. Merlin follows behind him, nudging Harry along when he stops to lean against the wall, clearly already exhausted. It’s been a long week for both of them.

“Come on, love,” he coaxes. “Almost there.” He gets Harry undressed and tucked into bed, then climbs in after him and allows his husband to cling to him like an octopus, pressing little kisses into his skin until Harry falls asleep. He makes a note to ‘forget’ about Harry’s birthday for a little while, takes a moment to pencil in a few potential options for their next date with Archy, and then allows himself to fall asleep too.

***

“Merlin!” Archy lights up and steps back, “Come in. I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Should I have called ahead?” Merlin asks. He shifts on the doorstep; Archy’s flat is a little nicer than his own, and while the opulence doesn’t bother him, per se, a part of him will always be that poor kid from Edinburg who wouldn’t have been allowed in a place like this even as hired help.

“For you, my door is always open,” Archy tells him. “Although you might want to, in the future. I’d hate to leave you waiting on the doorstep because I’m not in.” He bustles into the kitchen while Merlin toes off his shoes, calling over his shoulder, “I’ll just put the kettle on.”

Merlin follows him. “That’s alright,” he says. “I wasn’t planning on staying long.”

Archy pauses, and then sets the kettle back down and turns off the tap, folding his arms defensively. “What’s this about?”

Merlin smiles in what he hopes is a reassuring way. “How about a kiss hello first?” he offers, and it’s the right thing to say, because Archy relaxes.

“Come here, then,” he grins, and Merlin kisses him, slow and sweet. When they break apart, Archy asks, “So not a bad thing, then?”

Merlin shakes his head. “Definitely not. Harry’s birthday is next week.”

Archy tilts his head. “Alright?” He drags out the word, confused.

“Harry can be a bit…overzealous when it comes to his birthday,” Merlin explains. “That’s why I wanted to do this in person, rather than over the phone. Because of my position, most of what I do with my mobile is recorded.” He fingers the side of his glasses, and Archy nods subtly, getting the hint. They haven’t actually told him about what the glasses can do, but he knows. Merlin continues, “It’s all on private servers, but Harry does have access to them. I don’t want to risk him getting hold of any recordings or texts and spoiling the surprise.”

“And the surprise is…?”

“Well,” Merlin says slowly. “I was rather hoping it would be you.”

“Me?”

Merlin nods. “Of course, it’s ultimately your decision. Harry and I talked about it, back when we first made this a proper thing, and he did mention wanting you over for his birthday. I just wanted to go out a couple times first, make sure we got this down before I asked. Plus, it gives him a bit of time to forget, so it’s not a complete surprise but not totally expected either. He’ll love it. He’s been a bit of a terror, what with you winding him up – no, I see that look, don’t deny it.” Archy grins sheepishly and Merlin smiles. “He misses you. Well, he misses your cock. He’s got you.”

“He does,” Archy says. “And so do you.”

Merlin resists the urge to roll his eyes at the sappiness, because it’s actually rather sweet. “We agreed we’d hold off on sex for a while, but we never set a specific end date for that.”

“And you think Harry’s birthday is as good a time as any?”

Merlin shrugs. “Like I said, up to you. If you’re interested, we can call that the end, or afterwards we can go back to you playing footsies with Harry under the table and leaving him to me to take care of.”

“Little disappointing to know I haven’t been able to wind you up as well.”

“Who said you haven’t?” Merlin takes a step towards Archy, backing him against the counter and planting a hand on either side of him. He can read a thousand tiny signs of arousal across Archy’s face, micro-expressions and tells he’s had to learn as a handler and an agent’s second set of eyes. “You have no idea,” he murmurs, intentionally pitching his voice lower than usual, allowing more of his brogue through. “If I didn’t think Harry would be furious for it, I would pin you right here and make you beg for mercy until you apologized for being such a tease.”

A hint of fear flashes across Archy’s expression, and Merlin backs off instantly, but the look is gone before he takes more than a step away. Archy clears his throat and breaks eye contact, but he sounds unaffected when he says, “So Harry’s birthday. Did you have plans other than just having sex?”

Merlin takes the clear cue to steer the conversation back into safe territory. “Harry might be a bit over-enthusiastic about his birthday, but he doesn’t usually like too much of a fuss in terms of what we do. He likes being pampered, but he’s not one for massive celebrations. We normally stay in. I order dinner, we watch a film.”

“You don’t cook?”

Merlin snorts and shakes his head. “Harry’s a reasonably good cook, but I’m hopeless in the kitchen. Believe me, it’d be more of a punishment than a present if I were to cook for him.”

Archy tilts his head. “You know, I’m pretty good in the kitchen. If you wanted…if you were okay with it, I could come over and cook.”

He still sounds hesitant, and Merlin reassures, “We want you there, and if you can cook for him, I’m sure Harry would love it.”

Archy takes a step closer to Merlin, not trying to dominate the space, just reaching for him. “I’d be cooking for both of you,” he says. “Harry, mostly, because it’s his birthday, but not just for him.”

“I know.”

They stare at each other a minute, neither quite smiling but Merlin can see the affection in Archy’s eyes and imagines he’s projecting much the same. Archy is the one to break it, murmuring, “Do you want to stay awhile longer? I’ve got a little time. We could-“

Merlin silences him with a single raised eyebrow, and Archy flushes slightly as his mouth snaps shut. “I should be going,” Merlin says. He leans forward and kisses Archy one last time, savouring the way and Archy shivers and goes pliant for him. When he pulls back, he says, “I’ll see you next week.”

“I look forward to it.”

***

When the bell rings, Harry makes a beeline for the door, like he’s afraid whoever is behind it will leave if he takes more than a second to answer. Merlin watches him go, following him at a much lazier pace and leaning against the wall as Harry wrenches the door open and nearly tackles Archy.

Archy, naturally, manages to catch him and keep them from toppling over, wrapping Harry up tight and kissing him thoroughly, shifting the bag he’s holding to the other hand so it doesn’t get crushed. Merlin is pretty sure Harry is the one who initiates using tongue, but he’s only speculating from his limited view. They break apart, grinning like idiots.

“You came!” Harry beams. He isn’t subtle about the way he’s trying to look into Archy’s bag, but Archy just casually tilts it away from him.

“I wasn’t about to miss my boyfriend’s birthday,” Archy tells him, and Harry lights up even brighter at the word. Archy grins over at Merlin, striding over to give him a brief peck on the lips. “Thank you for inviting me.”

“Of course!” Harry says. He calms a bit. “Merlin said you were planning on cooking?”

“If that’s alright with you?” Archy asks, shrugging out of his coat and hanging it up by the door before stepping out of his shoes and leaving them in the rack.

Harry nods eagerly. “Merlin’s a dreadful cook,” he says, and Archy stifles a chuckle while Merlin rolls his eyes. “We usually order in on my birthday, but if you’re even halfway decent-“

“I like to think I’m a little bit better than halfway decent,” Archy says. “I’m not professional chef material, but I’m pretty good.”

“How does a mob boss end up with cooking as a hobby anyway?” Merlin asks. It’s the first time he’s ever referred to Archy’s business directly, and he notices the way Archy stiffens, looking uncomfortable, and immediately feels bad. “I mean-“

Archy interrupts him, even as he keeps his gaze on the floor. “I’m not sure I would call it a hobby. I used to make dinner for my parents, and then I spent most of my life living alone, so being able to cook meant I didn’t have to order takeaway every night.” It’s also the first time Merlin has heard Archy refer to his parents, and he tucks that information away for later.

“Well, you know where the kitchen is,” he says. He’s not oblivious to the way Harry is watching them, knowing Harry noticed Archy’s discomfort as well. “Do you need any help?”

Harry immediately jumps in, “You do not want his help. Trust me.”

And just like that, the mood slides right back to where it belongs. Archy grins. “Oh, I’m sure I can find him something to do. Vegetables don’t chop themselves. But don’t worry, I won’t let him anywhere near the duck.”

Merlin shoos Harry towards the living room. “Why don’t you go pick a film?”

Harry obeys, and Merlin follows Archy to the kitchen. “I hope you like romance films,” he says, “because Harry has picked either _Casablanca_ , _Emma_ , or _Love Actually_ for every single birthday the entire time we’ve been together.”

Archy wrinkles his nose. “He likes _Love Actually_? I’m all for romance films, but that one’s just irritating.”

Merlin shrugs. “I don’t tend to enjoy romance films in general,” he says. “Give me a good bit of science fiction any day. But Harry likes them so I humour him, and yes, he likes that one.”

“I may have to reconsider this relationship,” Archy jokes, and then his eyes widen, and he sets down his bag of groceries and makes a beeline for where Harry keeps his aprons. “On the other hand, maybe not.”

“Nice to know Harry owning aprons is enough to cancel out his taste in films.” Merlin rolls his eyes, but he can’t help but enjoy Archy’s enthusiasm. How anyone finds this man intimidating is beyond him, because as much as he knows Archy can throw his weight around – and back it up - it’s hard to consider a man who gets excited over patterned aprons all that frightening.

“Excuse me,” Harry says indignantly from the doorway. “I have excellent taste in films.”

Merlin rolls his eyes. “Of course, Harry.”

Harry is about to retort, his mouth opening, and then he quite forgets whatever he was about to say as he catches sight of Archy tying the apron around his waist. His jaw snaps shut as his eyes light up. “You’re wearing an apron.”

Archy grins and smooths it down. It’s not the professional-looking striped one that Harry wears when he cooks for guests, but one of the tacky ones, specifically the one Harry got from James as a gag gift about ten years ago for Christmas, patterned to look like a naked male body. “You don’t mind, do you?” he asks. “I didn’t want to risk ruining my clothes, and I thought actually cooking naked was probably a bad idea.”

“I’m not sure I’d mind,” Harry says, “but this is good too.” He hopes up on the counter, swinging his legs and watching them. Merlin goes to start unpacking the groceries, but Archy bats his hands away gently, handing him a knife from the cutting board. “Why don’t you work on the greens and turnips?”

Merlin snorts. “You know, it’s not like the meat is going to spoil if I touch it.” But he accepts the knife, spinning it in his fingers – he’ll admit he loves the feel of a blade in his hand, even for something as mundane as chopping vegetables – and then sets to work at his task.

“What are you making?” Harry asks curiously, leaning forward to get a better view from his position. It’s not the best vantage point: Merlin and Archy’s backs are to him, bent over the opposite section of counterspace.

Still, Archy answers over his shoulder. “It’s a duck breast with a pomegranate-citrus glaze. I did run it by Merlin first, wanted to make sure it was something you’d like.” He had. A few days ago Merlin had been woken in the middle of the night to a string of texts with potential recipe ideas, and that was the one they had settled on. “I thought it was appropriately fancy for a birthday dinner, but not overly time-consuming to prepare.”

“It sounds perfect,” Harry says. “You’re going to spoil me.”

“Just you wait,” Archy says. “I’ve got a few more presents for you, and I imagine Merlin has at least one.”

He glances towards Merlin, as if looking for confirmation, and Merlin nods, but he intentionally adopts a sarcastic tone and says, “Aye, my present is that we’re going to watch whatever film you’ve picked out for us and I’m not going to gripe about how cliché and trite it is.”

“ _Emma_ is not trite,” Harry huffs, and Merlin is amused to see the relief that flashes across Archy’s face at the pick. Honestly, he doesn’t mind that one so much either. Victorian period-pieces aren’t entirely horrible to watch. “It’s a masterpiece of human emotion.”

“You just think the male lead is sexy.”

“And I suppose you watch _Torchwood_ for the riveting plotlines.”

Merlin is actually surprised Harry got the name right. He has a tendency to butcher them, whether on accident or on purpose Merlin isn’t entirely sure. “I watch _Torchwood_ -“

“Because you think John Barrowman is attractive.”

Archy isn’t watching their back-and-forth, his gaze focused on the duck he’s cutting into slivers, but Merlin can tell he’s listening because of the smile curling at his lips. Merlin concedes to Harry, “That may be _one_ reason I watch it.”

“And the physical attractiveness of Mr. Knightly is only one of the reasons I like _Emma_. Either way, it’s a moot point, because it’s my birthday and I want to watch it.”

“Yes, dear,” Merlin says, and it comes out more affectionate than exasperated. Merlin honestly doesn’t mind Harry’s romance films as much as he plays it up, so long as he gets to make fun of them a bit in his mind.

Dinner is completed with mostly silence from Merlin. He ends up off to the side after he’s done with the vegetables, listening fondly to Harry and Archy banter back and forth about football. He does, however, get to help with plating the food, since apparently his evil dinner-ruining hands don’t have any affect once preparation is over. Merlin does have to hand it to Archy: dinner is delicious, and he makes a mental note to invite him over to cook more often, especially when Harry is away on missions. This is much better than the takeaway he usually survives on.

About halfway through, Archy asks, “So, would you like your presents now or later?”

Harry perks up, setting his fork down. “Now, please!” He’s mostly done with his plate, and he pushes it aside when Archy stands and goes into the other room, fetching two wrapped boxes from his coat.

“They’re not much,” he says, setting them down in front of Harry, “but I thought you might like them.”

Harry tears eagerly into the packaging. The first box reveals cufflinks. Archy looks down at the table. “I know, you probably don’t need them, but-“

“I love them,” Harry says. When Merlin leans over to take a look, he notices the square black pattern matches Archy’s ring almost perfectly.

Archy blushes faintly and clears his throat. “The other one is the better present.”

The second package is a little longer but not much wider, and Harry opens it just as excitedly to reveal another flat box, like the cufflinks came in. He flips the lid up, and his eyes widen.

“It’s, uh, it’s technically for both of you,” Archy says. He looks _nervous_ , and Merlin understands why when Harry turns the box towards him. There are two keys in it. “I know it hasn’t been long, but I trust you, and I wanted you to have it. Just in case.”

Harry stands up, moving around the table and dragging Archy’s chair back enough to straddle his lap, cradling Archy’s face in his hands and drawing him in for a slow, soft kiss. Merlin snags the box from across the table, bringing it closer so he can get a proper look at the keys. They’re identical, so presumably that means one is for him and one for Harry.

Harry and Archy break apart, and Harry murmurs, “Thank you. We don’t have one to give you in return, though.”

“That’s alright,” Archy says, and his smile is shy instead of his trademark grin. “Maybe someday.”

“If you’d told me, I would have gotten one,” Merlin says. He’s already thinking about how long it’ll take him to make an extra set. Normally, yes, he would agree this is a little fast, but he also knows that there aren’t set rules for a relationship, and this feels right.

“That would have ruined the surprise,” Archy says, and that is his trademark grin. He nudges Harry off his lap. “Now why don’t we finish dinner, and then we can watch your movie?”

After dinner, Archy helps Merlin bring the dishes to the kitchen, Merlin having insisted on washing since he wasn’t allowed to help with dinner, while Harry moves to the living room to set up the movie.

“I got the all-clear on your bloodwork,” Merlin tells him. “As long as you haven’t been messing about with needles or blood, we should be set for tonight.”

“I haven’t,” Archy promises. He hesitates. “You’re not even going to ask about the other thing?”

Merlin lifts an eyebrow, resting his hand on the tap but not turning it on so he won’t have to shout. “Other thing?”

“How come you and Harry never ask if I’m messing about behind your backs?”

Merlin can’t say he expected the question, but he’s also not surprised. He leans back against the sink. “We trust you,” he says simply. “I don’t believe you’d do that.”

“It’s that simple?”

Merlin folds his arms. “One of the first things you told Harry when he told you he was married was that you weren’t a homewrecker. We agreed that this would be exclusive, something you explicitly wanted, and you indicated to us that cheating wasn’t something you found tolerable. While there are plenty of hypocrites out there, I don’t think you’re one of them. So yes. It really is that simple.”

Archy nods slowly. “Fair enough.” He hesitates, and then adds, “I haven’t, you know. With anyone else.”

Merlin leans forward and gives him a brief kiss, because it seems like the thing to do. “I know. Now go to Harry,” he says. “I’ve got this in here. I’ll be out in a few.”

When he returns to the living room, it’s to find Archy and Harry curled up on the sofa together, the opening credits of _Emma_ already playing. He settles himself on Harry’s other side, draping an arm around his husband’s shoulders. His fingers brush against Archy’s arm, and he strokes them absentmindedly over the soft fabric of Archy’s shirt. Archy leans into the touch, and Harry makes a contented noise between them, apparently happy to be smothered by his two lovers.

The movie is actually fairly tolerable, and every time he glances over Archy and Harry both seem enraptured in it. By the time the credits are scrolling, Merlin is almost half-asleep, lulled by the music and the wonderful dinner.

He’s roused back to wakefulness when his partners shift, Archy leaning over Harry to capture his lips, and Harry kissing back eagerly.

“Happy birthday, Harry,” Archy murmurs, and bites down on the shell of Harry’s ear. Harry moans and bears his throat for more of Archy’s nibbles, and Merlin licks his lips as he watches the white flashes of Archy’s teeth against Harry’s skin. “What do you want tonight, sweetheart?” Archy coos. “Whatever you like. We’re at your command.”

Merlin visibly sees the moment when Harry realizes he’s going to get more than just teasing and kisses tonight, delight blooming on his face. “Bedroom first,” he suggests, and it becomes a scramble to make it upstairs, Harry pushing Archy eagerly down onto the bed for more kisses the moment they get past the door. Merlin stands behind him, close to the bed but not joining them on it just yet.

Archy nips at Harry’s lips and says, “We’re here now. So what is it you want, sweetheart?”

Harry looks directly towards Merlin, who knows suddenly what he’s about to ask for. “I want you both to fuck me. At the same time.”

Archy pulls away and tilts his head in confusion. He glances over Harry’s shoulder towards Merlin, looking for an answer to an unasked question.

“We talked about this,” Merlin tells him. “We do it on occasion. With toys, usually, not other people. I know I’ve joked a bit about Harry being a slut, because he likes that sort of language in bed-“

“But it’s a bit more than that,” Harry takes over. He flushes slightly. “I…I’m something of size queen, I suppose?” Merlin grins at him and Harry makes his ‘do shut up’ face.

Archy nods in understanding. His eyes flick towards Merlin briefly, and then back to Harry as he asks, “And you want us both to fuck you. Which means…?”

“Which means I’d like you both up my arse at the same time,” Harry says bluntly. “I am partial to spit-roasting, and I get to do that more frequently, but it is my birthday, and I deserve a bit of a treat, don’t you think? This isn’t something I get to do every day.”

When Archy looks towards Merlin this time, his eyes linger, specifically darting down to his crotch. “Are you sure we’ll both fit?” he asks. “Because I don’t much fancy taking a trip to the hospital tonight.”

“Like I said,” Merlin tells him, “we’ve done this before. Harry knows how much he can take, and I know how much prep we need to do to get him there. It should be fine.”

Harry clears his throat delicately. “And if you’re concerned about lasting, I would very much enjoy the opportunity to watch the two of you beforehand. Seems a shame that I haven’t seen you on your knees for Merlin yet.”

Merlin relishes the way Archy visibly swallows. He likes to think he’s a good judge of people, and Archy has switch written all over him. Not that he anticipates playing today, but it will be lovely to see him drop the toughness he blankets himself in and give himself over to Merlin’s care.

“If you don’t want to-“ he begins, because Archy looks nervous and as much as he’d love to see Archy submit, he doesn’t want to push.

“No, I want to,” Archy says immediately. He opens his mouth, then closes it again, and it takes him a minute to properly respond. “You know I haven’t done…that…in a very long time.”

Merlin nods. He doesn’t need Archy to explain to know what he’s talking about. “You can top, if you’d prefer,” he says. He doesn’t much like to be on the bottom, but he doesn’t mind it when his partner prefers it. “Or we can do without penetration. There are plenty of ways we can give Harry a show without it.” He throws a sly smile towards his husband, who looks about ready to start drooling (if he weren’t watching them with mild concern).

“I…” Archy looks like he’s struggling, and Merlin makes a decision. He curls his fingers around Archy’s shoulder, pressing down, guiding him off the bed and onto the floor. Archy stiffens for just a moment, like his body is fighting Merlin, and then he relaxes almost completely, and sinks carefully to his knees.

“Traffic light system,” Merlin tells him gently. “Yellow if you don’t like something I’m doing and want to stop that, red if you want to stop altogether. Green if I check in and you’re fine with what’s happening. Is that acceptable?”

Archy doesn’t answer for a heartbeat, and then, “Yes.”

“Good,” Merlin murmurs. He strokes his hand along Archy’s jawline, tilting his head up. “You look gorgeous on your knees.” Archy makes a noise in the back of his throat, something contradictory, and Merlin shakes his head. “Harry thinks so too,” he says, turning Archy’s chin so he can see where Harry is watching them, his lips parted, his pupils blown wide.

Archy’s whole body shudders, and Merlin releases his chin and strokes back his hair. “Tell me your safewords,” he says.

“Yellow if I want to stop an activity, red if I want to stop altogether.”

Merlin smiles. For all his initial resistance, Archy slips back down like he was born to do it. Merlin doesn’t intend to play with him today, won’t do anything that even comes close, but he suspects Archy will feel more comfortable with the safewords, and that’s his primary concern.

He reaches down and unsnaps the button on his trousers. It’s loud in the near-silent room, and Archy’s eyes widen. “How do you feel about sucking me off?” Merin asks.

Archy hesitates, and then says, “Green.”

Merlin hold out a hand, and Archy frowns at it a minute before offering up his own. Merlin takes it and curls it around the back of his thigh. “I’m going to be touching you,” he says. “Your mouth will be full. Keep your hand here, and if you need to pull off to safeword, let go, and I will let you. Alright?”

Archy nods.

“Verbal answer, please.”

“Yes,” Archy says. “Alright.”

“Good boy,” Merlin murmurs, because it’s the sort of thing he’d say to Harry if it were just the two of them. It doesn’t get quite the same reaction, but it does get a reaction, Archy’s shoulders tensing and then relaxing. He adjusts his grip on Merlin’s thigh and watches as Merlin undoes his zipper and pushes his trousers and pants down just enough to free his cock. He’s only half-hard, and he looks to Archy, raising an eyebrow expectantly.

Archy hesitates just a moment longer. Then, cautiously, he leans forward and gives the head an experimental lick. Merlin groans softly, and the sound emboldens Archy, who wraps his hand around the base of Merlin’s cock to steady it and then seals his lips around the head to suck properly.

“Oh,” Merlin breathes. “Oh, that is perfect, love.” His cock thickens, pressing against Archy’s tongue as he works at it, making everything just a bit tighter, the friction a bit better, especially when Archy sinks a little farther down his cock and the head bumps against the back of his throat. Merlin bites back another groan and strokes his fingers through Archy’s hair. There’s not as much as Harry has, not really enough to get purchase, but Merlin’s more interested in just touching Archy than he is controlling his movements.

Once Archy starts to get into a rhythm, bobbing his head in shallow thrusts, never sinking more than halfway onto Merlin’s cock, it becomes apparent that Archy is not a stranger to giving head (or, at least, that he’s a very fast learner, but Merlin assumes the former). His lips are stretched wide, the girth of Merlin’s cock a bit too much for his mouth, and Merlin feels a pang of sympathy as Archy’s jaw flexes, because he knows it must be starting to ache. Archy’s free hand comes up again to wrap around the base, working at what his mouth can’t reach, and Merlin doesn’t bother to stop his moans now, thoroughly enjoying the wet suction.

Merlin reaches down to cup Archy’s chin, and Archy stills, pulling off with a pop and looking up at him nervously. “You’re doing perfectly,” Merlin praises. “Your mouth feels so good on me.” He strokes his thumb gently over Archy’s cheek. “May I fuck it?”

Merlin thinks the expletive, not the suggestion, is what makes Archy shudder slightly, but he waits patiently for an answer. “You won’t…” Archy stammers, then pauses and starts again. His voice is raspy from having Merlin’s thick cock jammed partway down his throat. “You’re not going to choke me, are you?”

“Not if you don’t want me too,” Merlin reassure him. Harry loves doing that, likes a hint of breathplay now and again, gets off on being choked just enough to feel the danger of it. But if Archy isn’t interested, Merlin will keep well away.

Archy squirms a bit, and then finally murmurs, “Just be careful, please?”

“Of course,” Merlin assures him. He can feel every flex of Archy’s jaw, cradled in his hand. “Relax,” he coaxes, stroking his thumb over the skin. “Check in?” He doesn’t think it’s necessary, but he wants to show Archy he’s serious, that he’ll stop even over something as mundane as a blowjob if that’s what Archy needs.

After a heartbeat, Archy says, “Green.”

“Perfect,” Merlin says. “Open up for me, please?”

Archy lets his mouth fall open, sticking his tongue out as if on instinct, and Merlin takes his cock in hand, tracing gently over those pretty lips, swollen a bit and pink with his efforts. Archy stays perfectly still, and Merlin slips himself into Archy’s mouth, keeping his thrusts shallow at first, allowing Archy to get used to the rhythm before he takes it a bit deeper, not forcing himself down Archy’s throat but pushing back enough that his head nudges at it on every smooth, measured stroke. Archy just takes it, and Merlin tightens his grip just enough so instead of thrusting he can drag Archy’s face toward him, and Archy shudders and gasps sweetly around him. His fingers flex on Merlin’s thigh, but he doesn’t let go, and Merlin grins and murmurs, “That’s it. Just take it.” He’s close, always good about edging himself up slowly. It’s never a race for him, never that desperate rush to get as close to the finish line as fast as possible. Archy’s mouth is sloppy with spit, and the wet warmth feels absolutely perfect. Merlin wouldn’t mind staying in this moment forever if he could.

But he can’t. His orgasm creeps up on him, and when he gets close he murmurs, “I’m going to come. If you don’t want it in your mouth, tell me now.”

There’s a heartbeat, and then Archy lets go of Merlin’s thigh, and Merlin releases him. Archy pulls off, and if Merlin thought his voice was rough before it’s nothing to how it sounds now, low and scratchy when he says, “Come on my face.”

Merlin takes his chin again, tilting it up. “What’s the magic word?” he asks mildly, just to remind Archy who’s in charge.

Archy responds instantly, “Please, sir.”

The ‘sir’ is unexpected, and Merlin bites back a groan and fists his cock, no longer interested in drawing it out because the sooner he comes the sooner he gets to see Archy dirtied with his cum and the sooner he can return the favour. It only takes a couple of strokes before he’s coming, thick white stripes painting Archy’s face, and Merlin wrings out every drop he can, squeezing and stroking himself through it until stimulation gets the better of him and he lets go.

Archy’s tongue darts out, licking curiously at the corner of his lips, and Merlin cock twitches again. He winces, tucking it away, and then strokes his thumb through the mess, glancing towards Harry. His husband’s trousers are still done up but there’s a wet spot at the crotch where his cock has been leaking, his hands curled so tightly in the bedspread to keep from touching that his knuckles have gone from white to red to white again. Merlin offers his thumb out towards Harry, who surges forward and wraps his lips around it eagerly, moaning as he sucks the cum off it and licking after it when Merlin pulls it out of his mouth again. “Why don’t you get Archy something to clean off with,” Merlin says, looking down at the man still on his knees before him, “and then we’ll see about what we can do about this.” He nudges his foot forward, pressing casually against the bulge in Archy’s trousers, and Archy jumps and bites back a whimper. Harry obeys instantly, hopping off the bed and hurrying towards the bathroom – Merlin doesn’t miss the way he unbuttons his trousers as he does so – and Merlin helps Archy up onto the bed.

“Are your knees alright?” he asks gently. “We can get you some ice for them if you need.”

Archy eyes him, just short of glaring. “I’m not so old that a blowjob is going to fuck up my knees.”

Merlin laughs. “Alright. Just making sure.” He straddles Archy’s lap, fingers curling passively around the back of his neck, and Archy tilts his head back into the touch instinctively. Merlin’s grin widens. “Now, what can we do for you, hmm?” He rocks down and Archy grits his teeth at the friction.

“You can wait until I’m back in the room,” Harry grouses, although there’s no heat behind the words. He hands over a wet cloth, which Merlin takes and starts wiping gently at Archy’s face, cleaning his come off it. “I believe this was supposed to be my birthday present.”

“Sorry,” Merlin tells him. “I couldn’t resist.”

“Let us make it up to you,” Archy says, and he sounds dominant again, in control, and Merlin squeezes the back of his neck in warning. Archy sinks back instantly, his voice softening when he adds, “if that’s still what you want?”

Harry looks delighted, and Merlin shares a look with him over Archy’s shoulder. He drops the cloth to the floor to be dealt with later and climbs off of Archy’s lap. “Scoot up on the bed, please.”

Archy and Harry exchange looks, like they’re not sure which one he’s talking to, until Merlin lifts and eyebrow and they both shuffle backwards. “Archy, lay down,” Merlin says. “Harry, pin his hands, please?”

Archy freezes when Harry’s fingers curl around his wrists, and he whispers, “Yellow.”

Harry lets him go, and Merlin reaches out and strokes his fingers gently down Archy’s trouser-clad shin. He knows the gesture soothes Harry, and he’s hoping it’ll work on Archy to. It does, to some degree, and he asks gently, “You don’t like to be held down?”

Archy shakes his head.

“That’s fine. Would you be alright with Harry holding your hands instead?”

Archy nods, and Harry smiles and threads their fingers together. “If anything gets to be too much for you, just let me know,” Merlin says. He squeezes Archy’s shin, then lets go. “I’m going to take your trousers off and then I’m going to suck your cock. Is that alright?”

Archy frowns, like he doesn’t understand why Merlin is being so through. “Yeah,” he says. “Course that’s alright.”

“You’re not allowed to move,” Merlin tells him. “You’re to hold onto Harry and let me take care of you, understood?” He’s not doing this halfway. Archy doesn’t seem the type to allow himself to be cared for easily and Merlin is determined to change that.

“Understood.”

“Good.” He flicks open the button of Archy’s trousers and tugs them down without any fuss. His ignores Archy’s cock for the time being, instead pressing a kiss to his ankle before working his way up the leg with little kisses and nips, laving his tongue over every bite mark, taking his time as he goes. Archy squirms, and when Merlin glances up he can see that Archy is gripping Harry’s hands hard enough that they’re trembling, the blue veins standing out against paler flesh. He gets to Archy’s hip and nuzzles into the skin, nibbling at the jut of bone, and Archy shudders, a soft exhale escaping his lips. Merlin switches legs and gives the other one the same treatment. He’s nearly silent as he works, and Harry seems to be holding his breath, so the only sounds in the room come from Archy, little whimpers and gasps as Merlin works at his skin with lips and teeth.

When Merlin finally gets to the top again, he settles between Archy’s legs properly. Archy looks a mess, his eyes glazed, shaking slightly, and Merlin murmurs, “Check in?”

“Green.” The word is hazy, like Archy’s only half-aware of it.

Merlin presses another kiss to Archy’s hipbone and looks up at him, squeezing his thigh lightly to get his attention. “Archy. Look at me.”

Archy obeys, turning his gaze down to Merlin, and it becomes a little more focused. “I’m going to suck you off now,” Merlin says. “Are you going to be able to stay still?”

“Green.”

Merlin smiles. “That’s a good boy. You’re being absolutely perfect for me.”

The words make Archy smile faintly, and then it drops off his face in favour of his eyes screwing shut when Merlin licks a stripe up the underside of Archy’s cock where it lays against his stomach. He’s hard but not achingly so, a lovely flushed red colour and just barely dribbling precum. Merlin laps at the tip, tasting him, and Archy whimpers. Merlin wraps his hand around the base – Archy’s hips jerk up and Merlin pins them down immediately with his free hand – and takes the head into his mouth, sucking gently. He gives himself time to explore, running his tongue along every ridge of the spongey tissue, paying special attention to the sensitive underside because it makes Archy squirm against his grip and clutch at Harry’s hands. He works his way down slowly, bobbing his head, savouring the feeling, and then, when he thinks Archy has been lulled by the pattern, takes Archy’s cock all the way down his throat.

Archy lets out a sound that’s not quite a scream but isn’t just a moan either. It’s such a stronger reaction than the times Merlin has seen Harry suck his cock, and Merlin marvels at how responsive Archy is like this, giving up control to Merlin and falling apart so beautifully under his care.

Merlin doesn’t have Harry’s gag reflex. That is, Harry seems able to suck cock like he was born to do it, only choking when he wants to or when he allows himself to be forced to. Merlin actually does have a human gag reflex, and Archy’s cock isn’t exactly small, so deepthroating him is a challenge. He only manages to hold himself there for a moment before he pulls off again, not that Archy seems to mind too much, especially because after a breath Merlin goes right back down, letting the head slip down his throat so he can swallow around it.

“Fucking hell,” Archy whispers, almost reverently. “Merlin…Merlin please.”

Merlin hums, and Archy sobs again, cock pulsing, and Merlin can tell he’s close. He redoubles his efforts, not taking him quite so deep but sucking harder, hollowing his cheeks and using his tongue to catch along the throbbing veins. Archy lets out a harsh pant that might be a warning, and then he’s coming, and Merlin sucks him through it and swallows it all down.

He only lets up when Archy starts to squirm again, making low sounds of distress. Merlin pulls off, licking his lips and grinning down at Archy, whose grip on Harry is so tight that it takes a little coaxing from Merlin to pry his fingers off. Merlin helps him sit upright again, tucking Archy against his body while he comes back down. He strokes Archy’s hair and, when he thinks Archy is aware enough, asks, “Was that good? It wasn’t too much, was it?” He can’t remember the last time he saw someone so out of it over a blowjob. Harry gets that way sometimes, but only if the blowjob is preceded by something much more intense.

“It was good,” Archy says after a moment. “You were good.” Merlin gets the sense there’s something else there, something Archy’s still trying to put into words, so he waits.

Eventually, Archy says, “I’m still not used to…doing that.”

“That?”

“Being submissive,” he clarifies. “I know…” He sighs. “It’s stupid. You didn’t _do_ anything to me. But I couldn’t really get out of my own head. Kept worrying you were going to take it a step farther and I wouldn’t…” He trails off, like he’s not sure how to end that sentence.

“If you didn’t want to be treated like that-“

“It’s not that,” Archy interrupts. “I did. I do. It’s just…it’s something else we’ll need to talk about.”

“Alright,” Merlin says. He kisses Archy gently. “Don’t worry about it anymore for now. I think it’s about time we gave Harry his proper birthday present, don’t you?”

Archy doesn’t nod, but Merlin can see the shift in his expression to agreement before they both turn to Harry, who grins at them. Archy pounces, leaving Merlin to fetch the lube from the nightstand before returning, leaning down to whisper in Harry’s ear, “Got one more present for you, love.” He does actually have a proper one, tucked away in the closet, but it can wait. This is much more important right now.

Harry does his best to make a sound of questioning without detaching himself from Archy, who is snogging him thoroughly while he works to unbutton Harry’s shirt and rid him of his trousers – although he must keep getting side-tracked, because he hasn’t gotten very far with either of them. Merlin draws Harry’s earlobe between his teeth and bites down gently, and it’s either that or the way that Archy does the same thing to Harry’s lower lip at the same moment that has Harry moaning eagerly, arching up off the bed and trying to drag both of them closer.

“You want us to fill you up like a little cum-slut?” Merlin asks, keeping his voice a low, rough whisper that he knows drives Harry wild. “We can if you like.’

Harry lets out a harsh breath, able to now that Archy has abandoned his lips in favour of moving down his chest, eagerly sucking love bites along the v of exposed skin. He looks questioningly towards Merlin, who tells him, “Got the results back from the lab. Archy’s too. Thought you might like to skip the condoms tonight.”

Harry surges upwards, Archy moving back just in time not to get knocked in the head as Harry latches onto Merlin, kissing him hard. “Best husband ever,” he pants into Merlin’s mouth, and Merlin grins and kisses back, shoving Harry’s unbuttoned shirt off his shoulders. Archy situates himself behind Harry, reaching around the help push down Harry’s pants and trousers, and Merlin passes him the lube and holds out his hand.

Archy squirts a generous amount onto his palm, and Merlin warms it between his fingers before sliding the first one knuckle-deep into Harry without preamble. Harry groans, head falling back against Archy’s shoulder, and Archy cradles him, pressing kisses along his neck and murmuring things into his ear too quietly for Merlin to hear. Merlin focuses instead on working Harry’s body open, not trying to draw it out but moving as quickly as he feels safe to. He knows Harry wants to get to the main event.

He works up to three fingers before he feels Archy’s touch, tracing around Harry’s rim curiously, and Merlin locks eyes with him over Harry’s shoulder, silently giving permission. Archy slides one finger in along with Merlin’s three, and Harry groans. “You’re being so good for us,” Archy murmurs. “Such a good little slut.” The praise sounds natural from his lips, and he gives it a lot more easily than he takes it. Merlin will look into that later, but for now he focuses on Harry’s pleasure.

He avoids his husband’s prostate. He doesn’t want Harry coming yet. Instead, he adds a fourth finger for a total of five inside Harry, wedged in tight and stretching him more as Merlin works them in and out, Archy working in counterpoint. Harry whines, trying to turn so he can kiss Archy properly but really just managing to mouth along his jawline.

“Give him another one,” Merlin tells Archy.

Archy obligingly slips another finger in. It’s still a tight fit, but Harry has taken more, a lot more, and they’re not hurting him. Quite the opposite: Harry’s making little pleading noises, like he’s beyond words, and Merlin leans forward to drink them up, nipping at Harry’s lips and laving over them with his tongue. It’s messy and uncoordinated, but Harry clearly doesn’t mind, opening his mouth and sucking Merlin’s tongue inside even as he forces himself back against their fingers as best he’s able – which isn’t much at this point, too much of a stretch and not enough leverage – like he’s trying to get as much of them inside him as he can hold.

“Such a sweet whore,” Archy coos, Merlin swallowing Harry’s whine when Archy withdraws his fingers. He comes back with more lube, pushing it up inside of Harry to make him even slicker, and Merlin pulls away from Harry’s lips to kiss Archy in thanks. Harry immediately tries to get in on it, and it turns into a sloppy three-way trade of tongues and saliva. Archy has added another finger, his and Merlin’s twining together now for ease of entrance, and Harry’s hole just keeps stretching, accommodating them with an ease Merlin is used to but Archy is not, given the way flickers of wonder keep crossing his eyes.

“I think he’s ready,” Merlin murmurs. “What do you think, Harry?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Harry begs, a long groan more so than a word, and Merlin chuckles and withdraws.

“Keep him open,” he tells Archy, who slides a fourth finger into Harry in an attempt to make up for the ones he’s lost. Merlin fishes around them for the bottle of lube, slicking his cock with a bit more than he’d usually use, if he weren’t trying to work two large cocks up his husband’s arse, and then murmurs, “Turn around, Harry.” He’s pretty certain the logistics will work better this way, half-processed thoughts about angles that aren’t quite as important as getting inside Harry and giving him what he wants.

Harry shuffles and Archy withdraws his fingers to help him move. Merlin curls one hand around Harry’s hip and grips his cock with the other, pressing himself in with absolutely no resistance. Harry is loose around him, a rare commodity in sex between them, and Merlin savours it for just a moment once he bottoms out before he beckons for Archy, who slides his fingers in with more lube, testing the stretch. The digits are rough, a delightful contrast to the silky walls of Harry’s arse, and Merlin allows the groan to rumble low in his throat before he murmurs, “Your turn.”

Archy hesitates and looks down, like he’s mentally comparing the size of his cock with the gape of Harry’s hole, stretched wide around Merlin’s thick erection and four fingers. Suddenly he looks almost frightened, a little distant, like it’s not just Harry he’s thinking about. “No,” he says, drawing back. “No way that’s not going to hurt him.”

Harry whines in frustration, turning towards Merlin pleadingly, and Merlin isn’t surprised to see tears leaking down his face. “Please,” he begs. “Darling I want it so badly, please.”

The begging normally works on Archy, but this time he resists. “I’m not about to-“

“Archy,” Merlin interrupts. It’s not easy to think clearly, wrapped in Harry’s warm, wet channel, but he does his best. “Do you trust us?”

Archy stares at him, and Merlin’s stomach drops. Then, very slowly, Archy nods.

“You know I wouldn’t hurt Harry.” Merlin holds out a hand, and Archy hesitates, like he’s not sure what he’s supposed to do with it, and then he scoots closer and Merlin smiles. “Harry wants this so badly,” he murmurs. “Look at him, crying like a whore because one fat cock isn’t enough for him.” Archy’s cock jerks against his stomach, and Merlin grins at him filthily, but he keeps his voice that low coaxing murmur. “Think you can help me satisfy the little slut?”

Archy lets out a shuddering breath and nods. Merlin slides his hand down, curling his fingers loosely around Archy’s cock and giving it a light stroke, smearing the leftover lube down the length. It throbs in his grip, and Merlin guides it so the head presses against Harry’s hole next to his own cock. “Easy,” Merlin says. “Just go slow and listen if he tells you to stop.” Archy nods, and with Merlin’s help he nudges in.

Merlin bites back a moan as the pressure increases, the head of Archy’s cock popping past Harry’s now-tight rim and sliding alongside Merlin’s erection. Harry lets out a happily little cry, rocking back until Merlin grips his hips to still him, pressing a nibbling kiss to his neck and murmuring, “Hold still, love. Wait until he’s all the way in.”

Harry pouts, but he turns his head for a kiss that’s not really a kiss, more a moaning pant against Merlin’s lips as Archy inches his way inside and everything gets that much tighter. Merlin wants to thrust so badly; it’s been years since he’s gotten to be inside Harry with another man instead of a dildo, and it’s so much better than he remembers, warmer and pliable in ways plastic is unforgiving. Harry is practically gushing lube, Archy’s cock forcing it out as he squeezes in, and the slick slide is enough to make Merlin grind his hips in just slightly to relieve some of the ache. Harry whines and tries to force back against them again, and Merlin lets him because Harry doesn’t have the angle anymore, can’t properly do anything without assistance from them.

Archy bottoms out with a bitten-back groan, tucking his forehead against Harry’s shoulder. Merlin can feel him shaking where they’re joined, and he reaches around and lifts Archy’s chin, drawing him forward for a soft kiss over Harry’s shoulder. It grounds Archy, bringing him back from the edge.

They break apart when Harry clenches impatiently. “This is the part where you’re supposed to fuck me, remember?” He’s remarkably coherent now, a brief moment in clarity among overwhelming sensation.

Merlin exchanges a glance with Archy, eyebrows raised. “If he’s coherent enough to whine about it, I don’t think we’re doing our job, do you?”

Archy shakes his head and grins. “No, we’re not.” He pulls out, just a fraction, and thrusts experimentally back in.

Merlin pants, following Archy’s lead and working in counterpoint. They can’t go particularly fast or hard – it’s too tight, and there’s too great a risk of hurting Harry – but the rough grinds of their hips are apparently very satisfying, because Harry sobs in pleasure and tries to work himself down against them. Merlin reaches around to grip Harry’s cock, stroking loosely, and even that is almost too much for Harry, his cries increasing in volume.

“Does that feel good, love?” Merlin whispers. “Is it enough? Two thick cocks shoved up your slutty hole, is that enough to satisfy a little whore like you?”

Harry gasps and moans, and his cock swells in Merlin’s grip. He’s close, and Merlin reaches down to tug at his balls, making Harry whine loudly and squirm, clenching inadvertently around them. Archy grunts, and Merlin bets Harry is going to have handprints on his hips where Archy’s holding him.

He reaches down, taking one of Archy’s hands and guiding it to Harry’s cock, threading their fingers together so they can both stroke it. He bites down on Harry’s shoulder, teeth scraping along the skin, and Archy does the same on the other side. “Come on,” Merlin snarls, giving a harder thrust of his hips – still carefully measured, but enough for Harry to really feel it. “Come for us, Harry.”

Harry does, spilling over their joined fingers, sobbing with the sensitivity as his hole clenches around them. Merlin hears Archy groan, feels the way his cock twitches along Merlin’s as he comes too, and Merlin holds perfectly still, gritting his teeth against the urge to take. He waits until Archy has pulled out, slumping back against the bed and looking a bit dazed, before he murmurs, “Harry?”

Harry leans back into him. His voice is slurred when he says, “Go ahead. Want to feel you.”

Merlin takes the permission, fucking up into Harry in sharper snaps of his hips than before. He’s loose and slick, lube and cum dripping out of him, and it only takes a few more thrusts for Merlin to climax, pulling out as his cock gives a few last spurts, painting around Harry’s hole and watching as the mess trickles out and down his legs. Harry slumps forward, his face pressed against Archy’s thigh, and mumbles, “Best birthday ever.”

Merlin chuckles, reaching out to stroke along Harry’s flank. The skin is slick with sweat and Harry is pliant under his hand, lazy and happy post-orgasm. Merlin manages to coax him up, sending him in the direction of the shower before he leaks all over the bed (worse than he already is, anyway). He uses one of the shirts discarded on the floor – Harry’s, because he likes to see Harry squirm and huff when Merlin uses his clothes for post-sex clean-up – to wipe himself down, passing it over to Archy when he’s done.

“You alright?” he asks.

Archy is still mostly prone on the bed, slowly drawing himself half-upright to clean himself off. He nods. “Yeah. I’m good. That was…”

Neither of them finishes the sentence. They don’t need to. Instead, Merlin gets up and rummages in the closet, getting out a fresh set of sheets. Archy gets the hint and starts stripping the bed, dropping the lube-and-cum-soaked sheets in a pile with their clothes. Merlin doesn’t speak again until they’re smoothing out the final wrinkles on the freshly-made bed. “We’re going to have to talk about it at some point.”

“Talk about what?”

A few things, actually, but Merlin settles for, “Do you actually want to sub for me? Properly?”

Archy looks at him, tensing, and then looks away. Merlin adds, “You know it’s not a requirement. Harry and my relationship didn’t work like that even before you came along. It’s something we do, not something we are. If you wanted to have vanilla sex with me and kinky sex with Harry, neither of us would fault you for it.” Merlin doesn’t suggest flipping their positions. He doesn’t do submissive. It’s not in his nature. It might have been easier if it was, but that’s not something he can change.

“It’s not that,” Archy says. His fingers curl into fists, making dents in the bedspread as he leans over it. He sighs. “The answer is yes. Yes, I want to sub for you.”

“But?”

“But,” Archy says, looking up at him again, “that is something we can talk about later, because I don’t know about you, but I just had some of the best sex of my life, and my brain is not one hundred percent online yet. I’m starting to see why Harry likes a good cuddle after.”

Merlin smiles. He grabs his pyjama pants, tossing a second pair to Archy, and slides into bed, patting the space next to him. “Come on, then,” he says. “Harry won’t mind if we get started without him.”

Archy settles in next to him hesitantly, like he’s unsure how to position himself, and Merlin makes it simple, rolling them over so he can spoon Archy, who relaxes back against him.

Harry joins them a few minutes later, insistently wiggling his way into the centre without a word. Merlin holds him tight, pressing kisses to the knobs of his spine, and falls asleep.

***

Merlin wakes up to an empty bed. It’s a novel experience; Harry gets up as late as possible, so Merlin is almost always awake before him. The mattress is still warm, though, which means the other two haven’t been gone long.

He slides slowly to his feet, blinking the haze of sleep out of his eyes, and pads downstairs. He hears voices from the kitchen, so he makes that his destination, leaning against the doorframe and watching as Archy laughs and smears a line of pancake batter along Harry’s cheek. Harry retaliates by flicking a pinch of flour into Archy’s hair.

“We’ve established I’m no expert in the kitchen, but I’m fairly certain the food is supposed to go in the bowl, not all over each other.”

They turn to look at him, grinning, and Merlin can’t help but smile. Archy’s hair is streaked with white and Harry’s face is covered with batter and his neck and shoulders with purple love bites and they just look so _right_ , standing in the kitchen together.

“Harry said you two have the day off,” Archy says. “Thought I’d make breakfast.”

Merlin moves into the room, giving first Harry, then Archy a good-morning kiss. He’s fairly certain Harry is leaving partial handprints in flour on his back, but he doesn’t mind. “Thank you,” he says to Archy. “I don’t know what sort of magic you’re working to have him up this early, but I am truly in awe.”

Harry harrumphs and folds his arms. “You say that like I’m a layabout who can’t be arsed to get out of bed.”

Merlin lifts his eyebrows. “Are you saying you aren’t?” He keeps the words playful, though, and Harry is used to the tease. He flicks another bit of flour at Merlin in leu of a retort.

“Alright, that’s enough, children,” Archy says, sounding amused. “Harry, help me please? I don’t trust Merlin to do it himself.”

“Yes, because I’m the one making a mess of the kitchen.” Merlin rolls his eyes.

Archy grins and gives him another peck on the lips. “I’d rather clean up a messy kitchen then have my hard work go up in smoke.”

“Fair enough.” Merlin goes to get plates instead.

They settle at the kitchen table rather than in the dining room. Merlin fights the urge to moan around the first mouthful of pancakes, because they’re just as good as dinner was last night, and yeah, he’s going to insist they keep Archy around, if only for his skills in the kitchen.

“Thank you for yesterday,” Harry tells him.

Archy waves it off. “I told you. I wasn’t going to miss my boyfriend’s birthday. And you seemed to enjoy yourself.”

“I did,” Harry says. He glances towards Merlin. “We both did.”

“You’re not too sore?” Merlin asks. Harry has been shifting a bit in his seat, and Merlin doesn’t blame him. He’d be more surprised if Harry wasn’t sore.

“I feel fine,” Harry says. “I doubt I’ll sit right for a day or so, but I expected that going in. And it was absolutely worth it.”

“Good.” Archy smiles at them and goes back to his pancakes.

Merlin exchanges another look with Harry. “I don’t think we ever made a decision about what last night meant,” Merlin says. Archy looks up, frowning, and Merlin clarifies, “In terms of us. Is that the end of the…trial period, I guess? Are we going to do this properly now?”

“I was under the impression we already were,” Archy says, “but if you mean are we good to have sex again, I think so. I think we’ve proven that this relationship actually is a relationship, not just a friends with benefits sort of scenario. So I’m game if you are.”

Harry mumbles something that sounds a lot like ‘oh thank fuck,’ and Merlin grins. He’s half surprised Harry doesn’t drop to his knees right then and there, but he suspects the way Harry is scarfing down pancakes has something to do with it.

Archy smiles too, so Merlin knows he caught Harry’s words. “I think I speak for both of us when I say that yes, we are game,” he says. Harry nods emphatically and stuffs another bite of pancake into his mouth. Merlin considers making a joke about gentlemen and table manners, but Harry’s retort would probably be to chew with his mouth open, and Merlin doesn’t feel the need to see that. Harry may be a gentleman most of the time, but here at home, and especially first thing in the morning, he is anything but.

“Good,” Archy says. “That’s good.” He fidgets with his fork, then sets it down on his plate. He starts hesitantly, “You know, there are some things we haven’t really talked about. Things we should probably…” He trails off, looking towards Merlin. Harry pauses in eating, looking concerned.

Merlin sets down his own fork and leans back in his chair. “You’re probably right,” he says. “What did you have in mind?”

“I-“ Archy swallows. He looks _vulnerable_ , and the table is small enough that Merlin can reach over with little fuss to squeeze Archy’s hand where it’s balled into a fist on his thigh. The touch seems to reassure Archy, because he continues, “I know you don’t take that stuff out of the bedroom, but it’s obviously an important part of your relationship and I think…I think we need to talk about what that means. For me.”

Merlin doesn’t have to ask what ‘stuff’ he’s referring to. “You’re right,” he says. “It doesn’t leave the bedroom. And it is important to us, but what’s more important is making sure you’re comfortable. Neither Harry nor I want to push you into anything.”

“I like domming Harry,” Archy says. He glances towards Harry, who gives him a smile of encouragement. “I told you I’ve done that sort of thing before. It’s what I’m used to. I’ve had a few subs in the past, well, one sub in particular, who weren’t especially good with using safewords, so I may be a bit overbearing in that regard, but being in control, that’s what I’m comfortable with. And it’s obviously what Harry likes.”

Harry nods. “I don’t mind overbearing. I’d rather that than you ignoring safewords. And I do like giving up control. So much of my work is control, and a lot of it is me putting myself in Merlin’s hands, but it feels different than doing it here. At work, I have to be focused, sharp. Here I don’t. I can give myself over completely and trust that my partner or partners will keep me safe.”

“But you don’t like that,” Archy says to Merlin, and it’s not a question.

Merlin shakes his head. “No.” He lets go of Archy and laces his fingers together on the table. “Part of why Harry and I have always done very well together, even in an open relationship, is because of our dynamic. Harry doesn’t want to be in control, I don’t want to give it up. That doesn’t change.” He hesitates, and then discloses, “My position at Kingsman is of a paradoxical nature. I am in charge, I am a guiding force, but ultimately, I have no control. And because of that, I have to watch a lot of people get hurt, even die. So it feels very good to have an outlet, a place where I am in complete control.” He pauses again, trading a look with Harry, and then lowers his gaze to the table. “I don’t trust easily,” he admits. “That’s part of it too. Where I grew up, you always had to be watching your back, because people were prepared to stab it just to get a leg up in life. And I know that it’s not like that here in my home, in _our_ home, but even after thirty years it’s a very hard habit to break. So I can’t…” He trails off helplessly.

“I understand,” Archy says, and Merlin really thinks he does. “Where I come from, it’s a lot of the same. And that is part of it, but it’s not everything.” There’s silence for several long heartbeats, and then Archy says, “You’re not the first man I’ve tried submitting for. There’s only been a couple but…there have been some. It’s not like any of the experiences were bad or traumatizing or whatever. I just…” He takes a second, collecting his thoughts. “I couldn’t allow myself to feel safe. They were experienced doms, but I didn’t know them, so I couldn’t bring myself to trust them, not completely.”

“But you trust me?” Merlin asks.

Archy nods, “I do. But like you said. Hard habits to break. It’s not easy to get out of my own head.”

“So it’s a work in progress,” Merlin says. “We don’t have to start anything hard right away. We can work up to it. And if you decide you really just don’t want to, we can do something else.” Merlin really, really hopes Archy doesn’t decide that, but he wants Archy to feel safe. Whatever that means.

“I know,” Archy says. “I just wanted to make that clear.”

“Crystal,” Harry says.

Archy gives a half-hearted chuckle. “God, how can you two be so perfect?”

“I wouldn’t say perfect,” Harry says.

“I would,” Archy says. “Yeah, I imagine we’ll fight sometimes, but you’re so…accommodating. You don’t even know half my baggage, and you’re willing to do this anyway.”

“You think you’re the only one with baggage?” Merlin raises his eyebrows. “We’ve all got shit, Archy. But I’ve found one of the differences between a good relationship and a bad relationship is that in a good relationship, one person doesn’t dump their baggage on the other. They show what they’re carrying, and the others offer to help carry what they can. And it works both ways.”

Archy suddenly looks worried, like he thinks Merlin expects him to blurt out his life story right then and there, and Merlin smiles reassuringly. “Not this morning, though. I think we’ve all had enough thinking for a day off.”

Archy relaxes again. Harry returned to devouring his pancakes. Merlin reaches for Archy’s hand under the table, and he’s pleased when Archy takes it, lacing their fingers together and squeezing.

***

Harry shuts the door to his hotel room firmly, flopping back on the bed with a groan. He aches everywhere; recon missions tend to do that, especially now that he’s getting up in years. Sitting still for that long, scoping out a target, has a tendency to make him stiff in a way that nothing short of Merlin’s hands massaging him – which Merlin often indulges him in after missions like these – seems to fix. A shower will do in a pinch, but it can’t work out all the kinks.

He taps the side of his glasses. “Merlin?”

The line connects. “Hello, love. Back in your room?”

“Yes. Just wanted to check in. I know Olivia was monitoring the feed, but…” He stops his own excuse before he says it.

Merlin understands and says the truth. “But you wanted to talk to me.”

“It’s been two weeks,” Harry complains. “I’ve been sitting around just _watching_ , and you know how I hate that. Especially because it means I don’t get to have you in my ear.”

“I know,” Merlin says. “But you should be able to come home soon. Olivia said what you gathered today looks promising.”

What they gathered today looks a lot like nothing from where Harry’s standing, or rather lying down, but he’s not about to contest either Olivia or Merlin’s expertise in the matter. “Where are you?” he asks. “Are you still at the office?”

“Actually, I’m at Archy’s. Got off about an hour ago.”

“Oh?” Harry makes the word as suggestive as he has the energy for. Which, truth be told, isn’t much, but it’s enough for Merlin to get the hint.

“I got off of work, you pervert.” Harry can hear the eyeroll even across the coms. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Mmm, I don’t think I will, if that’s alright with you,” Harry teases. “I’m about to step into the shower, and you know nothing relaxes me like a good wank.”

“When you can’t have actual cock, you mean.”

“Naturally.” They leave unspoken the thing Harry knows is crossing both of their minds; often, on missions like these, the ones that drag on too long, Harry will find a bed partner for the night, just to scratch the itch, and usually with Merlin watching. But he hasn’t done that, hasn’t even had the urge to, since Archy came into their lives. Three is a good number for them. Three fits.

He hears vaguely, from Merlin’s end, “Is that Harry?”

“Aye,” Merlin says, not to him. “Hang on.” There’s a moment of silence, presumably where Merlin is amplifying the microphone and redirecting the sound from his glasses – or maybe that just sounds appropriately sci-fi to Harry – and then he says, “Say hello to Archy, love.”

“Hello, darling,” Harry purrs.

Archy laughs. “Hello, sweetheart. You having a nice trip?”

“The worst,” Harry gripes. “I’ll be much happier when I’m home again.”

“And we’ll be much happier when you’re back,” Archy tells him. “Got a surprise for you when you come home.”

“A surprise?” Harry perks up. Archy gives the best surprises. He doesn’t mind Merlin’s predictability (it’s not that Merlin _never_ manages to surprise him, but thirty years is a long time to get used to someone’s tendencies), but Archy is still new enough that everything is exciting and different with him. “What sort of surprise?”

“What sort of surprise do you want it to be?” Archy teases.

“Does it involve that thing you’ve been dancing around asking us about every time we’ve talked about sex for the past month or so?”

Archy goes silent, but Merlin chuckles. “You should see the face he’s making, love. He thought we hadn’t noticed.”

Archy muttered something affectionately that sounds roughly like ‘damn spies.’ Louder, he adds, “Yes, if you’d like, it can involve that.”

“Then I very much look forward to hearing about it when I return,” Harry says. He hauls himself upright again with a groan. “Alright. I’m incredibly stiff in more ways than one, so I’m going to take a shower, have a lovely wank thinking about what sort of things you’re going to do to me when I get home, and then I think I’ll go to bed.”

“Or,” Archy counters, and Harry hears a sharp intake of breath that he assumes comes from Merlin, “you can put off the wank until after your shower, so Merlin and I have time to send you a little ‘we miss you’ present.”

The thought makes Harry’s cock stir, waking up in spite of the ache without any coaxing from him. “I like your idea much better,” Harry says.

Archy laughs. “I thought you might.”

“Go take your shower, love,” Merlin says, and he sounds a bit distracted already.

Harry doesn’t need telling twice. He sets his glasses to the side and hurries to the bathroom, luxuriating under the water just long enough that he thinks Merlin and Archy would have had time to do…something.

He flops back down on the bed when he gets out, not bothering to redress, and fumbles for his glasses, sliding them on and grinning when he sees the video file Merlin has sent him.

He curls his fingers loosely around his cock and lets it play.

**Author's Note:**

> I have made a decision that I will be adding in little snippits and codas to this series in addition to the main plot, so be on the lookout for the those (including one that expands on the end scene here).


End file.
